Oven and broiler arrangement for gas stoves or ranges



May 7, 1957 HOLLMAN ET AL OVEN AND BROILER ARRANGEMENT FOR GAS STOVES OR RANGES Filed March 19, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 7, 1957 2,791,212

' P. 1. HOLLMAN ET AL OVEN AND BROILER ARRANGEMENT FOR GAS STOVES OR RANGES Filed March 19, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent "ice OVEN AND BROILER ARRANGEMENT FOR GAS STOVES OR RANGES Peter I. Hollman and Robert C. McLaughlin, Rockford, 11]., assignors to Geo. D. Roper Corporation, Rockford, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application March 19, 1953, Serial No. 343,282

1 Claim. (Cl. 12639) This invention relates to an oven and broiler arrangement for gas stoves or ranges.

In broilers on gas stoves or ranges the common practice is to provide a broiler compartment separate from the oven compartment, and quite often a single burner located between the oven and broiler compartments serves as both the oven and broiler burner. In all such arrangements, when the stove is set for broiler operation the flow of gas to the broiler burner is unrestricted by any mechanism controlled in accordance with the temperature in the broiler compartment. Because of the intense heat generated during the broiling operation, the broiling compartment is apt to be seriously overheated should the user of the stove forget, even for a relatively short time, that the broiler is on. In numerous instances this has resulted in serious fires and permanent damage to the stove.

These disadvantages and hazards previously attendant to broiling operations on gas stoves are avoided in the present invention by the provision of a single cooking compartment common to separate oven and broiler burners, with an oven burner located below the cooking compartment and a broiler burner at the top of the cooking compartment having its gas supply, as well as that of the oven burner, under the control of the conventional oven thermostat located in the common baking-broiling compartment.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel broiler arrangement for gas stoves or ranges which avoids ,the danger of seriously overheating the stove or range during the broiling operation in the event the broiler burner is left on for an unusually long time.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a novel broiler gas supply arrangement on a gas stove or range in which the gas supply to the broiler burner is throttled in response to the temperature in the broiling compartment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel oven and broiler arrangement for gas stoves or ranges in which a single compartment is provided for use selectively to broil or bake, and in which the respective gas supplies to both the oven burner and the broiler burner associated with this compartment are controlled in response to the temperature in this compartment.

Other and further objects and advantagesof the present invention will be apparent from the following description of .a preferred embodiment thereof.

.In the drawings: Figure l is a perspective view, with parts broken away, illustrating schematically the gas supply arrangement for .the oven and broiler burners, in accordance with the present invention:

Figure 2 is a front elevational view, with parts broken to .both;

: Figure 3 is a section'taken along the line 3-3 in fig; 1 through a portion. of the selector valve which con- 2,791,212 Patented May 7, 1957 2 trols the flow of gas to the respective ignition pilot burners for the oven and broiler burners;

Figures 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig. 3, with the valve shown in its different operating positions;

Figure 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 1 through the portion of the selector valve which controls the flow of gas to the oven and broiler burners;

Figures 7 and 8 are views similar to Fig. 6, with the selector valve shown in its other operating positions, and

Figure 9 is a view, partly in section longitudinally through the conventional control valve used in the system of the present invention, showing the connections of the control valve in the system.

Referring to Fig. 2, in accordance with the present invention the gas stove or range is provided with a single compartment 10 intended to be used alternatively for both broiling and baking purposes. The compartment is defined by spaced side walls 11 and 12, having shelf-supporting protrusions 13, and a bottom 14 which terminates short of the side walls to permit the products of combustion from the oven burner to pass upwardly into the compartment 10. The oven burner 15 is mounted centrally beneath the bottom 14 in conventional fashion. The broiler burner 16 is mounted to extend centrally from back to front across the top of the compartment 10 and is provided with suitable radiants 16a for radiating heat downward into the compartment. A conventional mercury bulb thermostat element 17 is supported behind a shield 18 approximately somewhat more than half way up the compartment 10 by means of a bracket 19 bolted to the back wall 20 of the compartment. This mercury bulb 17 is, of course, sensitive to the temperature in the compartment 10.

With this general organization in mind, reference will now be made to the gas supply arrangement for the oven and broiler burners in this assembly. Referring to Fig. 1, the gas manifold 21 extends along the front of the stove at the top thereof and provides gas to the top burners on the stove, the oven and broiler burners, and the various pilot burners on the stove. A conventional manually operated oven control valve 22, shown in detail in Fig. 9, is mounted on the manifold to receive its gas supply therefrom. This valve may be constructed substantially as shown in U. S. Patent 2,303,011 to Weber et a1., or alternatively it may take the form of other known oven control valves of this type now in use. The main gas flow through this oven control valve is under the control of two valve elements: one, the rotary plug valve element 23 which is moved to open position when the control knob 24 is pushed inwardly and then turned; and, the other, the valve disk 25 which is opened initially to an extent determined by the temperature setting to which the control knob 24 is turned and which throttles the main flow of gas through the oven control valve in response to the mercury bulb 17 in the compartment 10. These valves are arranged in series in the control valve easing, so that both control the flow of gas to the main outlet conduit 26. From Fig. 9 it will be apparent that the plug valve 23 is formed with a transverse passage 70 adapted to be positioned in registration with passages 71, 72 in the valve housing 73 and the spud 74 which mounts the valve housing on the manifold 21. An axial passage 75 through the plug valve 23 leads from radial passage 70 to a chamber 76 in the valve housing at which is located an annular valve seat 77 against which the valve disk 25 is adapted to seat. The main burner outlet conduit 26 communicates with the valve chamber 76 after the valve disk 25, so that the flow of gas to conduit 26 is under the control of valve disk 25. Valve disk 25 is suitably coupled to pressure responsive mechanism indicated generally at 80, which communicates with the mercury bulb 17 through a capillary tube 81 to be actuated in res p ons e to the temperature to which the mercury bulb is exposed. The control valve is also provided with a pilot burner outlet 27 whose gas supply is through .the plug valve 23, valve chamber 176 and valve housing passage '78 ahead of the "valve :disk 25. Thus, the pilot burner gas supply through the "control valve is under the control of plug valve.23, 'butIiszin'dependent of'the thermostat valve 25, so that the gas supply to this outlet is not throttled in responseito the temperature in the compartmentlO. Since the construction and mode of operation of control valves of this general type are well understood by those skilled inthegaszstoveart, no further description is considered.necessaryihere. lFor a.more detailed description of one suitable control vvalve ofthistype, reference may be madetotthe above-mentioned Weber et al. patent.

The 'main outlet "26 and the pilot burner :outlet 27 from the oven control valve communicate irespectively with conduits 28 and 29-which lead toithe selectorvalve 30. The selector valve is-provided .at its iundersidelwith a main inlet passage 3l-(Figs.=6 8). A rotary; plug'32 is located at the upper end of this inlet :passage and controls the flow of gas from the inlet passage to the laterally extending outletpassages 33'andi34, whichlead respectively through longitudinal passages 33a, 34a in the bodyof the selector valve to the oven'burner 15 and the broiler burner 16. For'this purpose the plug .32 is formed with a transverse slot '35 at its periphery adapted to effect communication between the' inlet passage 31 and either of the outlet'passages 33 :and'34. The

valve plug 32 is attached to a valve stem 36 '(Fig. l), which carries a manually operated knob 37 at its outer end. When the operating knob for the selector valve is in its off position, the plug 32 is positioned as shown in Fig. 7 to block the fiow of gas from the inlet passage 31 to either of the outlet passages 33, 3'4. 'By turning the knob '37 approximately one-third turn clockwise from the off position to the .oven position, the plug 32 is positioned as shown in Fig. 6, with its slot 35 eflecting communication between the inlet passage 31 and the outlet passage 33 leading to the oven burner 15. When the operating knob 37 for the selector valve is turned approximately one-third turn counterclockwise from the off position to the -broiler position, the plug ispositioned as shown in Fig. 8, with its slot 35 effecting communication between the inlet passage 31'and the outlet passage 34 leading to the broiler burner 16.

'Theplug 32 in the selector valve is of gerierallyfrustoconicalconfiguration, tapering inwardly toward its inner end. At its inner end'the plug is'for'medwith anaxial passage 38 (Figs. 3-5) which communicates at all times with the lower end of a passage 39 inthe body of the selector valve which receives its gas supply "from the conduit 29. Rearwardly from its inner end the plug'32 is'formed with a-radial passage 40 communicating with the axial-passage 38 in the plug and adapted to communicate selectively with outlet-passages 41 and 42 in the valve body leading respectively to conduits 43 and 44(Fig. l) for supplying gas vto the oven pilot burner and broiler pilot burner 45 and 46, which are in lighting proximity to'the oven burner 15 and the broiler burner 16, respectively. When the operating knob 37 for the selector valve is in its off position, the plug 32 is "positioned to place its radial passage "40 out-of communication with either of the passages -4L-42leading tothe oven and broiler pilot'burners, as shown'-in Fig..4. By turning the operating knob 37 approximately one-third turn clockwise from the off position to the oven position, the plug 32 is positioned as shown in Fig. "3, with its radial passage 40 communicating with-the outlet passage .41 for passinggas from the conduit"29-through the valve body inlet passage '39, the axial passage 38in the .plug '32, the radial plug passage .40,-the valve-body outlet .passage '41 and the conduit 43 .leadingtotheoven :pilot burner 45. When :theoperatingiknob T37 ;:ifor=.:.the

- the stove.

selector valve is turned approximately one-third turn counterclockwise from the foff position to thebroiler position, the plug 32 is positioned as shown in Fig. 5, with its radial passage 40 registering with the outlet passage 42 for passing gas from the conduit 29 through the valve body inlet passage '39, the axial passage 38 in the plug v32, the radial plug passage 40, the valve body outlet passage 41 and the conduit-44 leading to the broilerpilot burner 46.

Each of the oven and broiler'pilotburners-45 and 4.6 may desirably be part of a lighter valve unitconstructed as shown in copending application :Serial -No. 164,478 of Peter I. Hollman, filed May 26, 19.50, and since issued as Patent No. 2,639,765. However, his to be understood that the presentfinvention is in no way limited to such an arrangement, which is described here merely for convenience in disclosing one practical embodiment of the present invention. Briefly, *referring to .Fig. l,

the lighter valve unit 47 for the oven burnerlSincludes a-safety valve portion 48 containinga safety valve which controls the flowof gas .from'the-conduit 49, which.re-

.ceives its gas supply from theoutletpassage 33min the selector valve, to the conduit 50 leading to the oven burner 15. The safety valve for the oven burner is arranged to be thermally responsive to the oven pilot burner-45, so that gas can be supplied-through the safety valve to the oven burner 15 only after the oven pilot burner 45 has been lighted and the gas supply to the oven burner 15 will be cut off automatically inresponse to'extinguishment of the oven pilot burner-45, as explainedingreater detail in the above-mentioned Hollman application. The oven pilot burner 45 is lighted initially through a'flash ignition arrangement from .a constantly burning pilot burner (not shown) located at the top of There may also be provided a standby pilot burner 51 in igniting relation to the oven burner 15 which receives a gas-supply through the conduits 52, 53 direct from the'manifold 21 independent of the oven control valve '22. The standby pilot burner 51 vhas its gas supply controlled by a safety valve 54 which opens valve controlling the how of gas to the broiler burner -16- -from the conduit 57, which (receives its ,gas :supply from the-outletpassage 3.4a'in the selector valve, through the conduit .58 connected to .the broiler burner. The

isafety .valve for the broiler burner is similarly thermally responsive to the pilot burner-46 for the broiler burner,

the latter being .adapted'xto .be lighted automatically .by sflash'jgnition from the constantly burning pilot burner (not shown) at the top of the stove. A standby pilot burner 59 at the lighter unit 55 receives .its gas supply through the conduits 52 and .60 under the control of a safety valve '61, which opens and closes in unison with the broiler burner-safety valve 5 6.

Operation In the operation 'of'this system, .it is assumed that initially the control valve 22 is closed and the :selector =pilot burner'51.

When'it is desired to use the "stove for :baking or roasting purposes, the oven control knob 2:4 is vpushed inward and then turned to the .desiredztemperature setting. This permits gas to'flow from the .manifold 21 "through the oven control-valve 22'atma-rateidetermined by the position of the thermostat valve 25, Whi'CILF-fl'a explained, is thermally i-respons'ive'to the temperature to which the mercuryibulb '17 is'sexposed'in the? compartinent 10. Thus, gas is supplied to the main burner conduit 28 leading to the selector valve 30 and to the pilot burner conduit 29 connected to the selector valve. Next, the operating knob 37 for the selector valve is turned to its oven position (Figs. 3 and 6) to supply gas to the oven pilot burner 45 and to the conduit 49 leading to the oven burner 15. Upon ignition of the pilot burner 45, the safety valve 43 for the oven burner opens automatically to supply gas through conduit 50 to the oven burner for ignition from the pilot burner 45. At this time, the valve 54 also opens to suppl gas to the standby pilot burner 51 for as long as the oven burner safety valve 48 remains open, including the time interval following closing of the oven control valve 22 or the selector valve 30 during which the oven burner safety valve 48 has not had time to close.

During the operation of the burner, the flow of gas to the oven burner is controlled by the thermostat valve 25 in response to the temperature in the cooking compartment 10 in the usual manner.

When it is desired to use the stove for broiling purposes, the oven control knob 24 is pushed inward and turned to the broil range on its temperature scale, thereby initially setting the thermostat valve 25 in the oven control at a position permitting a relatively large volume of gas to flow through the oven control valve to its main outlet conduit 26. Opening of the control valve 22 also supplies gas to the pilot burner conduit 29 leading to the selector valve 30. The operating knob 37 for the selector valve is set at its broiler position (Figs. 5 and 8) to supply gas to the broiler pilot burner 46 and to the conduit 57 leading to the broiler burner 16. After ignition of the broiler pilot burner 46 the safety valve 56 for the broiler burner opens to supply gas from conduit 57 through conduit 58 to the broiler burner 16 to be ignited by the pilot burner 46. Also, the standby pilot valve 61 opens to supply gas to the standby pilot burner 59 for as long as the broiler burner 56 remains open.

It will be noted that at all times the broiler burner 16 has its gas supply under the direct control of the thermostat valve 25 in the control valve 22. Thus, should the operator forget that the broiler burner is on, the cooking compartment would heat up to a temperature which would cause the mercury bulb 17 therein to actuate the thermostat valve 25 closed, thereby shutting off the broiler burner 16. This feature is of considerable importance and represents a substantial improvement over prior art systems, in which the broiler burner received its gas supply entirely independent of the temperature in the broiler compartment of the stove.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the objects and purposes of the present invention are accomplished by the illustrated system, which safeguards against fires or permanent damage to the stove in the event the broiler burner is left on for an excessively long period of time.

While in the foregoing description and in the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a particular preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that various modifications, omissions and refinements departing from the disclosed embodiment of the invention may be adopted without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the respective pilot burners for the oven and broiler burners may be constantly burning pilot burners, if desired, thereby eliminating the various controls for lighting and extinguishing these pilot burners at the desired times.

We claim:

in a gas stove or range, the combination of means defining a cooking compartment, a broiler burner extending across the top of said compartment, a broiler pilot burner in igniting relation to the broiler burner, an oven burner disposed beneath said cooking compartment in heat transmitting relation thereto, .an oven pilot burner in igniting relation to said oven burner, a heat sensitive mechanism exposed to the temperature in said compartment, a gas supply manifold, a control valve connected to said manifold to receive gas therefrom, a valve element in said control valve connected to said heat sensitive element to throttle the flow of gas through the control valve in response to the temperature to which said heat sensitive mechanism is exposed, a main outlet conduit connected to said control valve after said valve element therein to receive a gas supply which is throttled in response to the temperature in said compartment, an auxiliary outlet conduit connected to said control valve ahead of said valve element therein to receive a gas supply which is independent of the temperature in said compartment, an oven burner conduit leading to said oven burner, a broiler burner conduit leading to said broiler burner, an oven pilot burner conduit communicating with said oven pilot burner, a broiler pilot burner conduit communicating with said broiler pilot burner, and a selector valve interposed between said main outlet conduit and said oven and broiler burner conduits and between said auxiliary outlet conduit and said oven and broiler pilot burner conduits, said selector valve being operable in one position thereof to communicate said outlet conduit and said auxiliary outlet conduit respectively with said oven burner conduit and said oven pilot burner conduit and to block flow from said main outlet conduit and said auxiliary outlet conduit to said broiler conduit and said broiler pilot burner conduit, respectively, said selector valve being operable in a second position thereof to communicate said main outlet conduit and said auxiliary outlet conduit respectively with said broiler burner conduit and said broiler pilot burner conduit and to block flow from said main outlet conduit and said auxiliary outlet conduit to said oven burner conduit and said oven pilot burner conduit, respectively, whereby said selector valve is operable to pass gas from the control valve under the control of said temperature responsive valve element alternatively to said oven burner and said oven pilot burner or to said broiler burner and said broiler pilot burner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,828,665 Kaufiman Oct. 20, 1931 2,051,401 Winterstein Aug. 1 8, 1936 2,079,504 Hobson May 4, 1937 2,123,829 Grayson July 12, 1938 2,245,060 Waddell June 10, 1941 2,276,930 Clark Mar. 17, 1942 2,303,011 Weber Nov. 24, 1942 2,509,679 Evans May 30, 1950 

